


Campfire Tales

by SailorLestrade



Category: Guns N' Roses
Genre: Campfires, Camping, Fairy Tale Retellings, Female Steven Adler, Funny, Genderbending, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Retelling, Scary, but not too scary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:13:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25100713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorLestrade/pseuds/SailorLestrade
Summary: Guns n' Roses are forced to go camping, so what better way to pass the time than to tell campfire stories?
Relationships: Steven Adler/Duff McKagan, Steven Adler/Izzy Stradlin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Campfire Tales

**Campfire Tales**

The fire crackled in front of them as Guns n’ Roses got their blankets from the tents and arranged their sleeping bags. Duff laid down a blanket for him and Stevie to sit on, Izzy grumbling and settling by them. Axl and Slash completed the circle around the fire.

“Who’s got the food?” Slash asked. “I’m starving.”

“Here,” Stevie tossed the bag of goodies to him. It was 90% junk, with some trail mix and granola bars thrown in.

“How’m I supposed to roast these?” Slash looked around as he held up the marshmallows.

“We’re in the woods. Grab a stick.” Axl told him, rolling his eyes. Slash huffed and looked around for a moment, finding the perfect stick so he could make his s’mores. Stevie snuggled up against Duff as he wrapped an arm around her.

“So, what now?” Duff asked.

“Alan just said that we had to go camping so we weren’t a “menace to society”,” Izzy explained, air quotes included. “So I don’t care what we fucking do.”

“Oh! I know!” Stevie said excitedly. “We should tell scary stories!”

“What are we? Teenage girls at a sleepover?” Axl huffed. Stevie glared at him.

“With that hair you might be,” She told him. Axl growled a little.

“Mmpf,” Slash said from his spot.

“Excuse me?” Izzy asked. Slash swallowed the food in his mouth.

“I bet I have the scariest story.”

“Bullshit,” Duff told him. “I’m calling bullshit on that one.”

“Shut up,” Slash argued. “You think yours is so good, you tell us your story.”

“Okay, I will!” Duff sat up straight. “It was a dark and stormy night…”

“Lame!” Axl called out.

“I haven’t even started…”

“It’s still lame,” Axl smirked. “Why don’t I tell you a story that scared the shit out of me when I was a kid?”

“Oh, this should be good,” Izzy chuckled.

“It will be,” Axl stated proudly. “Because I’m going to tell you the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

****

Fog settled around the small town as the train from Indianapolis stopped in Lafayette. Not many people got off the train there. Just a couple soldiers finally being freed from the Army and heading home from battle, and a lone school teacher who had just missed out on being pulled into war and had dedicated his time to his studies. Jeffrey Isbell, lovingly called Izzy by his few friends, greeted his new home as he stood on the platform of the train station.

_ “Oh, come on, why the fuck am I Ichabod Crane?” _

_ “Shut up and let me tell the fucking story bitch!” _

Quiet by comparison to Indianapolis, Izzy wasn’t sure how to handle his new life. He didn’t have the money to turn around and head back the way he came, and he had been promised a nice job at the new school that was opening up. Grabbing the few bags that he had, he headed into Lafayette. The home that he had been promised by the mayor wasn’t far from the station. The address was hastily written in the letter that finalized the details for his new job.

“This can’t be it…” Izzy mumbled to himself as he looked down the broken path that led to the small, brick home. It looked worse for wear, to say the least, but it was a home. And it was all his. No living in a boarding house for who knew how long. Everything just seemed too good to be true.

“Ah, you must be Mr. Isbell,” A voice said, making Izzy jump. He turned to see a boy, not much younger than him.

“My friends call me Izzy,” Izzy told him. The boy looked around.

“I don’t see many friends around you, but I’ll be your friend!” He beamed at Izzy. “My name’s Slash!”

“Slash?” Izzy asked.

“Well, my real name is Saul, but I got the name Slash because I run around and cut through conversations like a machete slashing through weeds!”

“I see…” Izzy nodded. “And what are you doing here?”

“I tried to take care of the place until Mr. Adler got a new tenant. You must be the schoolteacher he was telling us about.” He walked with Izzy towards the front of the house. “But you don’t look like a schoolteacher.”

“What does a schoolteacher look like?”

“Well, old…” Slash shrugged. “At least the one that Stevie and I had was an old hag.”

“Stevie?” Izzy asked, searching around for a key.

“Stevie’s my best friend!” Slash informed him. “Oh! You need this!” He produced a key from his pocket and handed it to Izzy. Izzy gave him a bit of a look and unlocked the door. Slash stood in the doorway.

“Do you want to come in?” Izzy asked as he looked around. For the most part, the house was pretty clean. And the old furniture that sat in there would do until he could find his own. “Well, uh, thanks for keeping the house clean.”

“You’re welcome,” Slash smiled. “Can I show you around town?”

“Well, sure,” He shrugged. “Where’s a good place to get some beer?”

“Oh, now you’re speaking my language!” Slash smiled. Izzy sat his couple of bags down and followed his new friend into Lafayette. It was a bit busier than he thought it would be, but still quite sleepy compared to Indianapolis.

“There’s not much around here, is there?” Izzy asked, noticing a few shops and churches.

“Not really,” Slash shrugged. “But hey, it’s home.” Izzy nodded but stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of a beautiful, blonde woman.

“Who is that?” Izzy asked. Slash looked in the same direction and smiled.

“Oh! That’s Stevie!” His face lit up. “Hey Stevie!” He waved to the girl, who returned the smile and crossed the street in front of some horses.

“Slash!” Stevie hugged him. “It’s so good to see you! Who’s your friend?”

“This is Izzy. We go way back,” Slash told her. “He’s the new school teacher.” Stevie looked him up and down.

“You don’t look anything like a school teacher,” She pointed out.

“That’s what I said!” Slash shook his head. Izzy took Stevie’s hand and kissed it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Izzy told her. Stevie blushed a little before looking towards Slash.

“What are you doing out by the horses anyway?” Slash asked.

“Waiting on my father and Duff to return,” Stevie told him. Izzy raised an eyebrow. “My father is the mayor. And Duff is my fiance.”

“His real name is Michael. He’s one of those weird Irishmen,” Slash explained.

“Wait, your father is Mayor Adler?” Izzy question. Stevie nodded and smiled.

“I’m his only daughter,”

“Spoiled only child you mean,” Slash mumbled under his breath, earning a glare from his friend.

“And if you need someone to show you around, I would be more than happy to do it,” Stevie smiled at him. “But I do have to meet my father and Duff for dinner. Gentlemen.” She nodded and headed back across the street, turning to walk backward. “And Mr. Izzy, I must say you have beautiful handwriting.” She smiled before turning back around and meeting two men from a hunting party.

“What does she mean by that?” Izzy asked.

“It’s well known that Mayor Adler doesn’t write any of his own letters,” Slash shrugged. Izzy watched as a tall blond man offered her his arm and led her into the restaurant. “Come on, the beer isn’t getting any colder and the tavern has better food than that place.” The two headed to the tavern, where the atmosphere was a little more lively than outside had been, which wasn’t saying much. But a few drinks later and some of Slash’s friends had joined them.

“I’m surprised that you even came here with the stories,” Thomas told Izzy as he drained his drink.

“Stories? What stories?” Izzy asked. Thomas, Frank, and Slash all exchanged looks.

“You didn’t tell him?” Frank asked Slash.

“Tell me what?” Izzy was confused. Thomas sighed.

“They say his name was William Bailey…”

“I heard him called William Rose,” Frank interrupted.

“I thought his name was Axl. You know, because of the ax!” Another man named Vincent joined the table.

“Anyway, William was just a young farmhand outside of Lafayette,” Thomas explained as Vincent looked Izzy up and down. “Legend has it that his stepfather went crazy, killed all of them with an ax.”

“I heard that he had it cut off by some Brits during the war,” Frank added.

“I thought he owed money, and because he couldn’t pay, they cut off his head,” Vincent pondered. Thomas glared at the two of them before looking back at Izzy.

“Anyway, he haunts the woods around the town, on his horse as black as night. You better before careful or he’ll,” Thomas made a cutting motion with his thumb across his neck. “Off with your head.”

“You’re kidding me,” Izzy laughed a little. But when no one else returned the laughter, Izzy stopped. “What?”

“He killed my friend a couple of years ago,” Frank told him.

“Everyone knows someone who was killed by Axl Rose,” Vincent added. Izzy shook his head and finished his beer. Slash and Izzy headed back to Izzy’s new home, Izzy offering Slash to stay the night.

“It’s just a legend,” Slash told him. “There’s no proof anyone was killed by the Headless Horseman.”

“Headless Horseman?” Izzy asked. “I thought you said his name was Axl Rose.”

“William Bailey but still, it’s all just a legend. A rumor,” Slash told him. “Anyway, goodnight.” Slash headed to a spare room he would sleep in when working on the house, and Izzy headed towards his room.

Sleep did not come easy for the young school teacher.

The next morning, Izzy headed out to examine his new school, as well as finding himself a horse to use for his travels. As he exited the school, which was going to need some work, he spied the beautiful Stevie.

“Izzy!” She smiled and waved at him. The blond man from the day before stared at Izzy. “How are you adjusting?”

“Just fine,” Izzy told her. “Checking out the new school.” He looked at Stevie’s companion.

“Oh, Izzy, this is my fiance Duff. Duff, this is the new school teacher, Izzy.” Stevie introduced them. Izzy stuck out his hand and Duff looked at it for a moment before shaking it.

“Pleasure.” Duff nodded. “Stevie couldn’t stop talking about that “man from Indianapolis” last night.”

“I did not!” Stevie blushed. Izzy felt his own cheeks heating some, but shook his head to try to make it go away.

“Where could one see about finding a horse?” Izzy asked.

“A farm,” Duff mumbled under his breath. Izzy glared a little, but Stevie’s voice cut through the tension.

“Doc McGhee has some horses he might be able to sell you,” Stevie explained. “Come on. We’ll show you.”

“We will?” Duff asked. Stevie looked up at him. “I mean, of course, we will.” Stevie and Duff led Izzy to Doc McGhee’s place, where there were horses waiting outside for someone to take them home.

“There you are,” Stevie smiled at him. “If you need anything else, don’t hesitate.” She laid a hand on Izzy's shoulder for a brief moment before leaving with Duff.

“I’d watch out,” A gruff voice drew in Izzy’s attention. “That McKagan boy is known to be a little jealous at times.”

“There’s nothing to be jealous over,” Izzy shrugged and handed him money for a horse. “Have you ever heard of a Headless Horseman?”

“William Bruce?” Doc McGhee asked. “That’s a legend started to scare children. Every time something bad happens in the woods, it’s always “the headless horseman did it”. Nine times out of ten, it’s probably a bear.”

“And the tenth time?” Izzy questions.

“Well, it’s probably the jealous fiancee of a beautiful girl,” Doc told him.

“Uh, right,” Izzy nodded. “Thanks for the horse.”

“Her name is Gunsmoke,” Doc told him. Izzy just gave him a smile before departing with his new horse.

“I like her.” Slash told him when he saw the horse later. “It’ll be easy for you to get to the Adler house for the party.”

“Party?” Izzy asked. “What party?”

“They have a big festival every year. Everyone in town is invited.” Slash explained. “There will be apples and dancing and, of course, beer.” Slash could tell that Izzy was going to bail. “And Stevie will be there.”

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt,” Izzy sighed.

That’s how he found himself at the party later that evening, with people he didn’t know. He saw Duff and Stevie sitting at the table with Mayor Adler and his wife, and Slash with Thomas, Frank, Vincent, and a fourth having the time of their lives. Izzy was about to leave when Stevie snagged his hand.

“Izzy, the party is just starting,” Stevie told him. “Please tell me you’re not leaving now.”

“I think I’m just going to go work on my lessons,” Izzy told her, resulting in a pout.

“Dance with me at least once,” Stevie didn’t really ask, but told him. Izzy looked over at Duff, who was watching.

“Are you sure that he won’t mind?” Izzy asked. Stevie looked over at Duff before turning her attention back to Izzy.

“He’s harmless,” Stevie smiled. “Come now.” She led him to where others were dancing as music played. “Where did you learn to dance?”

“Just from practicing,” Izzy told her, spinning her around. It was all too soon before the song was over and Stevie bid farewell to Izzy, heading back to her table. Izzy decided to call it a night and headed towards Gunsmoke, leaving Slash with his friends.

Stevie approached the table where Duff had been sitting with her parents, frowning when she didn’t see him.

“Where’s Duff?” She asked.

“Oh, he said he and his friends needed to grab something. He’ll be back,” Mrs. Adler told her. Stevie frowned and headed towards her horse, going to look for Duff.

Izzy headed through the woods from the Adler home to his own when he heard the sound of a horse neighing. He looked around, fully expecting to see Slash right behind him, but he saw nothing. Gunsmoke seemed to sense a change in the air because she picked up her pace.

“Woah girl. Easy,” Izzy tried to calm her, but she stopped suddenly. Izzy thought he had succeeded until he saw a figure on a horse. Izzy’s eyes widened when he realized the figure had no head, and in his hands, he held a light jack-o-lantern. Izzy turned to head the other way, but the rider was close on him, much faster on the horse. As Izzy approached the bridge that led over the small river, he felt the back of his neck get hot as the jack-o-lantern hit him in the back, knocking him off his horse.

Groaning, Izzy rolled himself over onto his back to see the headless figure looming down at him. That’s when he heard laughing. From behind the trees were some of the McKagan brothers. Confused, Izzy looked back at the other rider as he removed his jacket, showing Duff.

“Oh we got you!” Duff laughed. “Your face!” Izz got off the dusty ground and brushed himself off.

“I have half a mind to…” Izzy was cut off by a scream. Duff and his brothers froze as Izzy looked towards the graveyard. There, by a few of the unmarked and unkept graves, was Stevie, trapped by a figure on a black horse.

“Who’s that?” Duff asked. The figure turned to look at him.

“Another one of your brothers?” Izzy asked. Duff shook his head. Before they could move to go help Stevie, the headless figure plucked her off her horse and threw her on his.

“Hey!” Duff called out. At that time, Slash, Vincent, Thomas, Frank, and their friend Robert all joined up with them.

“It’s William Bailey!” Thomas called out. Stevie pushed away from him, trying to get away, but he held on tighter to her, using her for leverage.

“Burn him!” Stevie called out to them. “Burn his bones!” The figure placed a gloved hand over her mouth to keep her from talking.

“Where’s his grave?” Izzy asked Slash.

“Uh, I think it’s an unmarked one…” Slash told him. “I think it’s that one.” He pointed to a grave under a scary-looking willow that Stevie had been standing under.

“Duff, I need your help,” Izzy told him. Duff nodded and headed towards the graveyard with him. The headless figure charged at them, swinging an ax with Stevie still stuck with him. Duff dove and made his way towards the tree, and with the help of the others, worked on digging to find William’s bones. Stevie bit down on William’s hand, forcing him to let go of her. She fell into Izzy’s arms.

“I’ve got you,” He told her, holding her as the headless figure raced back towards him. “Close your eyes.” He told her as he squeezed his own shut, waiting for the pain of beheading that never came.

Instead, he opened an eye to see the figure on fire before disappearing, Duff and the others standing there, confused.

“I...is it over?” Stevie asked.

“I think so,” Izzy told her. She placed a quick kiss on his lips.

“Thank you,” She told him before heading back over to Duff, who quickly wrapped his arms around her. Izzy looked at them before looking back at the grave.

Only to realize that there was no head to the body.

****

“The end.” Axl finished up.

“Why did you make yourself the Headless Horseman?” Duff asked. “Why aren’t you Ichabod?”

“Because I don’t like Stevie.” Axl pointed out.

“And Izzy does?” Duff questioned, looking at the guitarist.

“Shut up.” Izzy hissed.

“Okay, someone else think up a better story before Izz and Duff kill each other, or Axl. Or both.” Slash said and everyone got quiet, trying to think of a way to outdo Axl’s story.


End file.
